"I love raising my children in an area that they can play in woods and parks, rivers and lake."~ Beverly Arnold

Parker on the family outing on a pumpkin farm.

Parker, Cailin, Beverly Arnold and Kevin in back row.

"Sudden Valley has been our home for 24 years. We've raised our 2 children here and now they have their own homes here in the valley. I love living and working here."

Kitty and Todd French on a walk across Lake Whatcom with Sudden Valley shown in the background. How gorgeous is that!

"Sudden Valley Ephiphany"~ Maureen McCabe

After living in Sudden Valley for 8 years, I discovered the sense of community that is small town Sudden Valley for myself this past year and a half. It’s funny but as I have become more involved with the people, businesses and volunteers of Sudden Valley, I found a sense of community here that I have never felt anywhere I lived before. Growing up in Southern California suburbia was anything but personal and too big to feel the sense of community of a small town.

As the self-appointed photographer and writer for “Hello Sudden Valley” I go out and take photos of people doing everyday stuff here in the valley. Through this new pursuit of positivity, I have found joy in myself and with others seeing Sudden Valley through new eyes. People just out with their kids, walking their dogs or driving their cool old cars. Many moments!

There are many people here in in Sudden Valley who have deep, deep roots and I never understood it until recently when I started to understand how special it is being a small community. My roots here are growing. No, we’re certainly not perfect but we’re mostly friendly and down-to-earth people. We love our trees, trails, beaches and lakes. For heaven’s sake, we even love our old barns where so many of our events take place. There’s a lot to be said for the people of Sudden Valley. Many people move here from many other parts of the country to make Sudden Valley their home. So to them I say, give us a chance and you’ll see we’re a little bit of Mayberry USA. You’ll see…Ciao![Please note we sold our home and have moved to Spokane in June 2015 but we will always appreciate the time we enjoyed in the Sudden Valley]

"You get more bang for your buck in Sudden Valley."

The Davis Family from Fort Smith, AR...making Sudden Valley their new home in the Pacific Northwest!

After spending a good part of the summer looking for a new place to call home and driving thousands of miles to California, Oregon and Washington, the Davis Family found a beautiful new home in Sudden Valley. They were inspired by our community, lake, forests and amenities. We couldn't be happier to have them part of our Sudden Valley community. New life, new beginnings in the Pacific Northwest!

"We feel as if we live in a National Park. We couldn't be happier!"My husband and I moved from the Bay Area, CA to Sudden Valley in October, 2012. I had retired that September and we had spent the last 18 months making trips to WA with various family and friends to determine where we wanted to live. We had a son living in Mt. Vernon so his place was home base. My husband ended up in Boulevard Park during one of his trips and that sold him on Bellingham! We were wrestling with how to house hunt when I decided to run an ad on Craigslist. We wanted to rent. We'd never owned. I received a response that began, "Have you thought of living in Sudden Valley?"

We rented the home that was the subject of that response and then, short version, we bought a home at Gate 2 one year later! First, our backyard was the golf course and now it is Lake Louise! Every day, no matter what the weather, we marvel at the beauty that is Sudden Valley! Many family members and friends have come to visit us and, to a person, they are flabbergasted at the heavenly haven that is our home!

Why do we love living in Sudden Valley? A partial list: The deer, squirrels, birds, Lake Louise, the trail we walk, our neighbors and the other residents we have met, the library, the activities, Valley Market and the other businesses, El Agave, the trees, flowers, mountains, the twenty shades of green, and the rain (yes, absolutely the rain)! We feel as if we live in a national park! We couldn't be happier! ~Karen D.

"We feel very optimistic about about the future of Sudden Valley because we see it grow stronger day by day."

My husband and I have lived here since 2001 when we moved from Alabama. We feel fortunate to live in such a welcoming, friendly community. There are many easy ways to feel part of the community: volunteer opportunities, social activities, amenities that provide the opportunity to meet neighbors, and on and on! We feel very optimistic about the future of Sudden Valley because we see it grow stronger day by day. ~ Brenda S.

Why I love living in Sudden Valley:First of all, it's the natural beauty, then the sense of community and neighborliness, followed by the array of amenities that provide activities for a widening diverse population, especially families - and it's secure. ~David

.... My amazement at the beauty of nature in Sudden Valley always amazes none other more than myself! I think that is because each lot has a combination of massive natural beauty combined with little details which the owners have added, putting their imprint on their lot. Driving by the golf course makes me happy just to view the beautiful grounds. To top it off, we have the lake which changes color according to the weather. Behind the lake rise majestic cedar trees on the hills, reaching for the sky with their long branches. When the weather is windy, the branches flutter gently, dancing in the wind. I can gaze at them indefinitely through my window, totally mesmerized. They fill my heart with wonder and joy.

Nature alone does not suffice to give me a sense of home in Sudden Valley. I feel the warmth of community around me. I like the fact that the houses are close to one another. It is a sign that their owners love to live in proximity to others. Our neighbors know one another and I am sure would help their neighbors should the need arise. We care and look after one another. We have a sense of security in our homes just because we have security guards. At least I do.

We have several parks, miles of trails, two lakes, two pools, a marina, a restaurant, a golf course and buildings, all owned by the members and used for gatherings and activities for adults and children. We have our own monthly newspaper which gives us news about our community. We now even have a radio station which gives us the latest weather information in the Valley. We have a coffee shop (soon to open) and even a brand new Public Library financed by volunteers and built by the hard work of dedicated members. Last week we had a free dinner for our members and the firemen who are mostly volunteers stationed outside Gate 1. Many lives have been saved by them. The active and outgoing members among us all came out. The pasta dinner with meatballs was catered and delicious! We have a board and a management company which make sure that all the different parts of our association work together smoothly. No one has any idea how hard the board members who are volunteers work to make good decisions for us all! I think we are lucky to have each and every one of them. Between them they create the balance we need to satisfy the more reasonable members among us. All we need to improve our community is more volunteers! At this point in my life, I would not like to live anywhere else." ~Ginnette L.